Lago della Ninfa lies at about 1,500 metres in the municipality of Sestola, on the slopes of Monte Cimone. It was formed by a large landslide that dammed the bottom of the hollow; it used to be called Lago dei Budaloni, and today’s name comes from the refuge built on its shore in 1928, which recalls the legend of a beautiful but cruel nymph who dragged hunters, shepherds and travellers into the whirlpools.
The lake you see today is partly man-made: to make it more attractive to visitors, the marsh vegetation and the natural bed were removed, the water began to drain away and the bottom was sealed. Today a fountain feeds it and keeps the level constant.
All around are beech woods and conifer forests. These slopes were once almost bare, and many of the old beeches were felled during the Second World War: one of the survivors still stands near the refuge. In autumn the colours of the trees are reflected in the water; in winter the lake becomes one of the gateways to the ski area, with slopes, a snowpark and a play area for the little ones. The most popular trail to the summit of Cimone also starts here.